1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for holding shotgun shells.
2. Description of the Related Art
A shotgun shell is a self-contained ammunition adapted to be fired from a shotgun. The shell comprises a cylindrical case, typically formed from plastic, with a brass base. At the center of the circular base is a primer, and contained within the base is a powder charge. The case contains a load of shot separated from the powder charge by a wad. The end of the case opposite from the brass base is crimped so as to prevent the contents of the case from spilling out.
When the shotgun is fired, a firing pin strikes and detonates the primer causing it to ignite the powder charge. Rapidly burning powder charge causes a violent but controlled expansion of gas that forces the wad and the shot load through a barrel and out of a muzzle at the end of the barrel. After discharging the shot load, the shotgun shell comprises the empty case and the expended primer.
Shotgun shells are manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers, and can be purchased at many retail stores. Many shotgun users, however, choose to re-assemble (referred to as reloading) the shotgun shells themselves for various reasons. One reason is that reloading is substantially more economical in terms of material cost, especially when relatively large quantities are considered. Another reason is that by reloading, the reloader can customize and control the quality and performance of the shells.
To reload shotgun shells, the reloader can either assemble new components, or reuse part of the expended shell (hence the term reload). For example, the empty case of the expended shell can be reused by replacing the primer and filling the case with various components. Such reloading procedure is completed by re-crimping of the end of the shell.
Many reloaders like to organize the reloaded shells in various manners. One common method is to put the shells into a paper carton that originally held new factory loaded shells. Factory loaded shells are typically sold in quantities of 25 arranged in 5 rows of 5 shells. The box-shaped paper carton includes an opening flap that when opened, exposes the top row of 5 shells. Because of the popularity of 25-shell paper cartons, many products are dimensioned and adapted to allow use of shells directly from such cartons. One example is a shell pouch worn on the belt of a shooter dimensioned to receive the carton such that the opening flap is at the top so as to permit quick access to shells.
To facilitate packaging of reloaded shells into such paper cartons, a shell stacking device such as MEC-Stacker is commercially available to reloaders. The stacking device comprises a open faced tray permanently attached to a base, the open faced tray being oriented at an angle so as to permit shells to be stacked therein in 5xc3x975 configuration, aided by gravity. The open faced tray is dimensioned to fit into the empty factory paper carton. Thus to fill the empty paper carton with reloaded shells, the paper carton with the opening flap open is inverted and slid over the open faced tray filled with shells. Then the paper carton and the open faced tray therein are rotated so as to position the opening flap portion of the carton at top. The stacking device is pulled upward and the shells are released from the open faced tray by gravity so as to remain inside the paper carton. The stacking device, while allowing stacking of shells and transferring of the stacked shells into the factory paper carton, does not provide any other significant utility.
Use of a paper carton to hold shells has several disadvantages to both shooters and reloaders. For example, when the paper carton filled with shells is placed in the shell pouch, the partially open flap interferes with access to the shells. Thus the shooter frequently either removes the opening flap completely, or folds the flap downward adjacent to one side of the carton. If the opening flap is removed, the box essentially loses its usefulness to reloaders. If the opening flap is folded back repeatedly, the flap, and the paper carton in general, wear out and become tattered.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a device that permits stacking and storing of shotgun shells in an improved manner. This and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by an assembly for housing shotgun shells comprising a container having a floor. The floor has two side lateral edges and a front and a rear lateral edge. Two side walls are mounted at the side lateral edges of the floor and a rear wall is attached to the rear lateral edge of the floor so as to extend between the two side walls. The floor, the two side walls and the rear wall define a first recess. The container has a first opening formed adjacent the front lateral edge of the floor between the two side walls that is sized so as to permit shotgun shells to be positioned in the first recess via the first opening. The assembly further comprises a cover that defines a partially enclosed space that is sized to receive the container such that when the container is positioned within the partially enclosed space of the cover, the cover encloses the first opening of the container so as to prevent the shotgun shells positioned within the first recess from dislodging from the first recess.
In one embodiment, the cover comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and two side panels connected to four edges of a rectangular shaped base panel, such that the two side panels and the front and rear panels define an opening adjacent a plane located opposite from the base panel. Each of the two side panels defines a cutout adjacent the opening to facilitate grasping of the container positioned therein. In one implementation, the cutout is semicircular is shape and has a radius of approximately ⅝xe2x80x3.
In one embodiment, the dimension of the opening of the cover is larger than the dimension of the base panel so as to facilitate insertion of the container into the partially enclosed space. To achieve such orientation, each of the front, rear, and two side panels in one embodiment of the cover is oriented with respect to the base panel so as to form an angle of approximately 0.5 degree with respect to the normal of the base panel such that the opening is larger than the base panel.
In one embodiment, the rear wall of the container comprises two rounded comers at locations opposite from the rear lateral edge of the floor. The rounded comers facilitate insertion of the container into the cover. Each of the two rounded comers has a radius of curvature of approximately 0.375xe2x80x3.
In one embodiment, the height of the two side walls is selected to be less than the height of the rear wall. The height of the two side walls is selected such that the top of the two side walls is adjacent a height where the rounded corners of the rear wall end so as to permit the two side walls to be formed in a planar manner while being tall enough to retain the top layer of the shotgun shells positioned within the first recess. One possible height of the two side walls is approximately 3xc2xexe2x80x3.
In one embodiment, the assembly further comprises a latching mechanism that latches the cover and the container together when the container is positioned within the cover. The latching mechanism is configured to permit removal of the container from the partially enclosed space of the cover. In one implementation, the latching mechanism comprises frictional engagement between the cover and container. The opening of the cover being larger than the base panel permits the container to be inserted into the cover frictionally engage when the container is near the fully inserted configuration.
In one embodiment, the exterior side of the floor of the container defines an area with a surface adapted to receive labels for identification purposes. In one embodiment, the container and the cover are formed from plastic with thickness of approximately 0.06xe2x80x3. In one embodiment, the container and the cover are dimensioned to hold 25 12-gauge 2xc2xexe2x80x3 shotgun shells in a 5xc3x975 configuration.
Another aspect of the invention relates to an assembly for housing shotgun shells comprising a container having a floor. The floor has two side lateral edges and a front and a rear lateral edge. Two side walls are mounted at the side lateral edges of the floor and a rear wall is attached to the rear lateral edge of the floor so as to extend between the two side walls. The floor, the two side walls and the rear wall define a first recess. The container has a first opening formed adjacent the front lateral edge of the floor between the two side walls that is sized so as to permit shotgun shells to be positioned in the first recess via the first opening. The assembly further comprises a cover that defines a partially enclosed space that is sized to receive the container such that when the container is positioned within the partially enclosed space of the cover, the cover encloses the first opening of the container so as to prevent the shotgun shells positioned within the first recess from dislodging from the first recess. The assembly further comprises a stand adapted to detachably hold the container at a first orientation to facilitate positioning of the shotgun shells in the first recess of the container.
In one embodiment, the cover comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and two side panels connected to four edges of a rectangular shaped base panel, such that the two side panels and the front and rear panels define an opening adjacent a plane located opposite from the base panel. Each of the two side panels defines a cutout adjacent the opening to facilitate grasping of the container positioned therein. In one implementation, the cutout is semicircular is shape and has a radius of approximately ⅝.
In one embodiment, the dimension of the opening of cover is larger than the dimension of the base panel so as to facilitate insertion of the container into the partially enclosed space. To achieve such orientation, each of the front, rear, and two side panels is oriented with respect to the base panel so as to form an angle of approximately 0.5 degree with respect to the normal of the base panel such that the opening is larger than the base panel.
In one embodiment, the rear wall of the container comprises two rounded corners at locations opposite from the rear lateral edge of the floor. The rounded corners facilitate insertion of the container into the cover. Each of the two rounded corners has a radius of curvature of approximately 0.375xe2x80x3.
In one embodiment, the height of the two side walls is selected to be less than the height of the rear wall. The height of the two side walls is selected such that the top of the two side walls is adjacent a height where the rounded comers of the rear wall end so as to permit the two side walls to be formed in a planar manner while being tall enough to retain the top layer of the shotgun shells positioned within the first recess. One possible height of the two side walls is approximately 3xc2xexe2x80x3.
In one embodiment, the assembly further comprises a latching mechanism that latches the cover and the container together when the container is positioned within the cover. The latching mechanism is configured to permit removal of the container from the partially enclosed space of the cover. In one implementation, the latching mechanism comprises Frictional engagement between the cover and container. The opening of the cover being larger than the base panel permits the container to be inserted into the cover frictionally engage when the container is near the fully inserted configuration.
In one embodiment, the exterior side of the floor of the container defines an area with a surface adapted to receive labels for identification purposes. In one embodiment, the container and the cover are formed from plastic with thickness of approximately 0.06xe2x80x3. In one embodiment, the container and the cover are dimensioned to hold 25 12-gauge 2xc2xexe2x80x3 shotgun shells in a 5xc3x975 configuration.
In one embodiment, the stand comprises a platform supported by a first and a second leg, and a rear and a side retaining wall to permit the container to be removably mounted. The first leg is longer than the second leg so as to orient the platform at a selected angle such that the container mounted thereon is biased towards the side retaining wall by gravity. The angled orientation of the container facilitates stacking of shells in the first recess. In one embodiment, the selected angle is approximately 25 degrees with respect to a supporting surface.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of storing shotgun shells in a housing assembly comprising a container adapted to hold a plurality of shotgun shells and a cover adapted to receive the container such that when the container is received by the cover the shells held by the container is inhibited from being dislodged from the container. The method comprises positioning the shotgun shells in the container and positioning the cover relative to the container such that the container is received by the cover so as to permit storage of shotgun shells in the cover and container assembly.
The method further comprises accessing the shotgun shells by removing the container from the cover so as to transfer the shotgun shells from the container to the cover thereby exposing the shotgun shells for access. Preferably, positioning the shotgun shells in the container comprises stacking the shells to form alternating orientations of the shells such that brass base of one shell is adjacent to crimped end of a neighboring shell. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.